Ruogu Fang, a widely recognized researcher whose work advances brain-inspired artificial intelligence models and AI-empowered precision brain health, will join Vanderbilt’s esteemed Department of Biomedical Engineering as the Flowers Family Dean’s Faculty Fellow in Engineering on August 16, 2026.
Fang comes to Vanderbilt from the University of Florida, where she served as an associate professor and Pruitt Family Endowed Faculty Fellow in the J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering. She is ranked among the top 1% of researchers worldwide in image analysis, according to ScholarGPS.
“Artificial intelligence is transforming the future of science, medicine, and human health, and Vanderbilt intends to help lead that transformation,” said Krish Roy, Bruce and Bridgitt Evans Dean of Engineering and University Distinguished Professor. “Professor Fang is a pioneering scientist whose work at the intersection of brain science and AI is expanding what’s possible in imaging, computation, and precision health. Her arrival strengthens Vanderbilt’s momentum in this rapidly evolving field and positions us to make an even greater global impact.”
Fang’s research addresses fundamental and translational questions at the intersection of neuroscience and artificial intelligence. Her research integrates artificial intelligence, neuroscience, and biomedical imaging to quantify brain dynamics, enable earlier diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases through advanced imaging, predict personalized treatment outcomes, and design precision interventions. She also leverages principles from neuroscience to develop next-generation trustworthy and adaptive AI systems.
“Vanderbilt offers an extraordinary environment for interdisciplinary innovation at the intersection of artificial intelligence, biomedical engineering, and medicine,” Fang said. “I am excited to work with colleagues across the university to develop AI technologies that not only advance scientific discovery, but also translate into real-world clinical impact, especially in brain health and precision medicine.”
A strong record of research accomplishments
Fang has received numerous academic honors and awards. She was selected as a National Academy of Medicine (NAM) Emerging Leaders in Health and Medicine (ELHM) Scholar, a Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI), a Ralph Lowe Junior Faculty Enhancement Awardee by Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), a Rising Star in Engineering by the Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine of Florida and was the inaugural recipient of the Robin Sidhu Memorial Young Scientist Award from the Society of Brain Mapping and Therapeutics. She received continuous funding totaling more than $55 million from agencies including NIH, NSF, AFRL, as well as from industry.
Her additional recognitions include a Best Paper Award from the IEEE International Conference on Image Processing, the University of Florida AI Course Award, the UF Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering Faculty Award for Excellence in Innovation, Faculty Doctoral Dissertation Advisor/Mentoring Award, and UF Biomedical Engineering awards for both research and teaching excellence.
Fang’s research has been featured by Forbes, The Washington Post, ABC, RSNA, and published in Lancet Digital Health, JAMA Neurology, PNAS Nexus, npj Digital Medicine, and npj Women’s Health. She has also presented at premier conferences like ICCV, MICCAI. She serves as an associate editor of the journal Medical Image Analysis, a topic editor of Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, and a guest editor of Current Opinion in Biomedical Engineering (COBME) and Computerized Medical Imaging and Graphics (CMIG).
“Professor Fang has built an impressive body of work in AI-enabled brain health and neuroimaging. Her approach reflects the thoughtful, radically collaborative science that defines our community here at Vanderbilt,” said Michael Miga, Chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Harvie Branscomb Professor. “I’m so excited to welcome her to our Biomedical Engineering faculty.”
Fang earned her bachelor’s degree in information engineering from Zhejiang University, China, and her doctorate in electrical and computer engineering from Cornell University.